Socialcam, Why You Should NOT View It!

Facebook’s Video Instagram

So many new startups are vying for the prize of becoming the video equivalent of Instagram by hoping Facebook will bless them with another billion dollars to buy them (evern though there already is an Instagram for video). Socialcam is one of these startups and evedently just received a leg up by obtaining some angel funding as it battles with other startups to be the next recipient of Facebook’s “benevolence.”

Socialcam’s Facebook App

There is one thing that may be limiting the prospects to be incorporated as part of the Facebook fold, and it is the exact reason why I will not be using Socialcam. Especially not the Facebook version of the Socialcam app. In order to see those videos that you see your friends viewing via Socialcam, you have to agree to install the app. Pretty commonplace among Facebook apps, the difference being with this one is in the fine details.

When you agree to install the Socialcam app, you will see the following notice;

“This app may post on your behalf, including videos you watched, videos you shared and more.”

“And more”

Did you catch the end of that agree? Not only will Socialcam tell all of your friends what videos you are looking at, (I am as big of fan of funny accidental shots to the groin as the next guy, but I don’t want them posted to my wall without my knowledge or consent) but what could the and more mean. Not having control over what videos that I look at on Socialcam being posted to my wall is bad enough, but not knowing what else Socialcam feels they will post on my wall is way overboard!.

Curiosity Killed the Cat

Over the past few weeks I have seen an ever increasing amount of Socialcam updates to my friends on Facebook. And many of these updates, I’m fairly confident they would not want others to know they were viewing these videos. Many of these friends have teaching jobs, police officers, company VPs and CEOs. I would hate to hear that any of their employment was affected by innocently clicking a link to view a video they were curios to find out about and not knowing what was in the video and it turns out to be something they would never had looked at if they knew the contents.

Socialcam is not Alone

Yes, Socialcam isn’t alone in this kind of coercion. Hundreds of well known apps do the same thing (I don’t use those either) and yes, you can tweak your app settings in Facebook so views will only be on the Timeline by “close friends” or “only by me.” But how long before those privacy settings change and/or Socialcam decides to “and more” my wall. In any event, if you simply want to have the luxury of viewing a video without having the world know about it, you can constantly check your app settings in Facebook or take the easier route and NOT view Socialcam in the first place. I’m sure you life wont be lacking by not viewing that cute cat video on Socialcam. If its “cute” enough, it will be available on many other websites where you can watch it and not tell everyone you are.